After 42 years of dedicated service maintaining and fixing the shire’s roads and jetties, Bob Hunter on Thursday retired from his job at Eurobodalla Shire Council.

Born in Bermagui, Bob only left the district briefly as young man before returning to get a job as a council worker, which he has been ever since.

Not only will he miss working on all the projects, he will miss the people too.

Working his way up the ranks to the title of technical support coordinator, he was responsible for maintaining and construction of council infrastructure from roads to wharves and quarries and yes the Narooma swimming enclosure, better known as the shark net, which has always been a tricky proposition to maintain.

“I’ve had a fantastic time working with a fantastic group of people,” he said.

“Everyone here is community minded, trying to do the best for the community and doing their best with sometimes limited opportunity.”

Mayor Lindsay Brown at his official farewell joked that he better keep his phone handy just in case.

“There’s a lot of knowledge up there,” indicating to Bob’s head.

His colleagues at the Narooma council depot threw the farewell pre-work party for Bob where he was given a street sign with the words “Gone Fishing”.

And that’s exactly where Bob plans to go, with his fishing partner of course – his 89-year-old dad Ginger, for whom he will also be now to be an “unofficial” carer.

“No I am not going anywhere, why would you when everyone else comes here,” he said. “I’ve got a boat for the lake and that’s plenty as my deckie is not so much up for going out to sea anymore.”

His farewell cake was another masterpiece by Dalmeny cake maker Dot Misko and featured comic book hero the “Green Lantern”.

Why the green lantern? Well apparently Bob wore the original-style green council uniforms for many years, no decades, after they were phased out.

We’re not sure if his favourite fishing lure colour is green too, but the fish of Wagonga Inlet are sure going to find out.